After its founding at the end of the ninth century B.C., this city soon grew into one of greatest civilizations of the Ancient World - a remarkable city-state that dominated the Mediterranean for over 600 years. Over that span of time, Carthaginian engineers harnessed their extensive resources and manpower to develop some of the ancient world's most groundbreaking technology. Like the Egyptian and Greek masters before them, they built colossal structures able to withstand the ravages of time and man. Carthage was protected by a massive harbor that held hundreds of war ships - which formed the core of antiquity's most formidable navy. And to protect the capital, an intricate series of defensive walls were erected that stretched for more than 23 miles, and housed a standing army of more than 20,000 men. For generations, Carthage defined power, strength and ingenuity for the ancient world. But by the third century B.C., the empire's existence was threatened by another emerging superpowe
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Length: 43:47
Aired: 11/6/2006
Western Civilization has been influenced by many cultures, but it was born in Ancient Greece. The Ancient Greeks laid a foundation that has supported nearly 3000 years of European history. Philosophers like Aristotle and Socrates, Olympian gods, the beginnings of democracy and great conquering armies can be attributed to the Ancient Greeks. This strong and charismatic people strategically harnessed the materials and people around them to create the most advanced technological feats the world had ever seen. From the Tunnel of Samos: a mile-long aqueduct dug through a large mountain of solid limestone, to Agamemnon's Tomb, to The Parthenon, we will examine the architecture and infrastructure engineered by the Greek Empire. Peter Weller hosts.
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Length: 43:50
Aired: 10/16/2006
After the fall of Rome, Italy slowly fell into a dark sleep. It wasn't until the 11th century when the Holy Roman Empire loosened its grip on Italy, that it reawakened. Autonomous city-states emerged, and though ravaged by waves of the plague, these tiny republics began to revitalize their cities and build on a massive level not witnessed since the rise of the Rome. In the late 15th and 16th centuries, alliances among various city-states continually shifted as foreign superpowers tried to sink their claws into Italy. France, Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire fought out their battles with each other on Italian soil, while the threat of the Turks lurked off the shores of Venice. The masters who are most known for creating the works of art and architecture of the Renaissance, were also the greatest military and civil engineers of the time. With a knowledge of the ancients and a thirst for new invention, engineering rose to heights not seen since the Roman Empire - advancing methods in
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Length: 43:58
Aired: 1/8/2007
Twenty-five hundred years before the reign of Julius Caesar, the ancient Egyptians were deftly harnessing the power of engineering on an unprecedented scale. Egyptian temples, fortresses, pyramids and palaces forever redefined the limits of architectural possibility. They also served as a warning to all of Egypt's enemies-that the world's most advanced civilization could accomplish anything. This two-hour special uses cinematic recreations and cutting-edge CGI to profile the greatest engineering achievements of ancient Egypt, and the pharaohs and architects who were behind them. Includes Djoser's Step Pyramid at Saqqara, Senusret's Nubian Superfortresses, Hatshepsut's Mortuary Temple at Dier el-Bahari, Akhenaten's city at Amarna, and the temples of Ramesses the Great at Abu Simbel.
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Length: 01:31:01
Posted: 1/2/2008
